The Next Total Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and the Sun and casts a shadow on a small portion of Earth's surface. Solar eclipses are not all that rare. A total solar eclipse happens every year or two somewhere on Earth, but if you select a specific location on Earth it is rare to see a total solar eclipse from that location. Counting the total solar eclipse at the end of this year, there were 44 solar eclipses of some type in the first 20 years of the decade. That's an average of just over 2 per year. Of these solar eclipses, 13 were total solar eclipses in which the Moon covers the full disk of the Sun, approximately one every 560 days.

There was an annular solar eclipse viewable from parts of Africa and Asia three days ago on June 21. An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon sits in front of the Sun but is just a bit farther away such that the Moon's disk is slightly smaller than the Sun's disk, thus not completely blocking the Sun's light. An example of an annual eclipse is shown below.

Carl Drinkwater / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

The next total solar eclipse takes place later this year on December 14, 2020, viewable from parts of South America. The last total solar eclipse in the United States was on August 21, 2017, one that my family and I witnessed in real time. It was super cool!!! The next total solar eclipse viewable from the United States is April 8, 2024. If I don't move in the next four years, I will be able to view this eclipse from my house, the first time in over a 1000 years my location has the pleasure of a total solar eclipse.

If you've never seen a total solar eclipse, pictures do not do it justice. If you ever have the opportunity to view a total solar eclipse, please do so! I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. It is an emotional experience you will never forget!